Indians may soon get visa-free entry to Russia – but only for group tours

Indian tourists may soon enjoy the convenience of visa-free travel to Russia, but with a key stipulation — the new rule would apply exclusively to those traveling in groups. The Moscow City Tourism Committee is in discussions with the Indian government to introduce a ‘group-free visa regime,’ which would allow a specific number of Indian travellers to visit Russia without the need for a visa, as long as they are traveling together.

Evgeny Kozlov, Chairman of the Moscow City Tourism Committee, confirmed that the discussions with India’s Ministry of External Affairs are aimed at determining the group size required for this exemption. “For a group of tourists to travel to Russia visa-free, the specific number must be specified in the visit document. For instance, in the Chinese protocol, groups need to consist of 10-20 people,” Kozlov shared in an interview with PTI.

India has become a significant market for Russian tourism, ranking second only to China in terms of tourist arrivals. Kozlov emphasized that Indian tourists tend to spend generously while traveling, with an average expenditure of around USD 2,000 per person per trip. This has made India a priority market for Moscow’s tourism efforts.

Moscow’s tourism numbers are already impressive. In the first nine months of 2024, the city welcomed 19.7 million visitors, with 61,000 of them coming from India. By 2030, Moscow is expecting the number of foreign tourists to rise to 6 million annually, fueled by travelers from countries like India, China, and the Middle East, among others.

The proposed visa-free travel initiative is just one part of Moscow’s strategy to boost Indian tourism. The city is also exploring other avenues, such as business, wedding, and family tourism, to attract Indian visitors. In addition, the Moscow City Tourism Committee is working closely with Indian film production houses to bring Bollywood productions to Moscow. The goal is to showcase the city through Indian cinema, and the committee is considering offering incentives to production houses and directors, though the details are still being finalized.

Originally Published at MONEYCONTROL